Easier
by thekatthatbarks
Summary: "I left the village. I left you." Sasuke's voice fell an octave and there was that familiar twist of guilt and shame in his stomach. "I betrayed Konoha. I tried to kill Kakashi, Sakura…even you. I just –" Sasuke's eyes landed on the prosthetic arm wrapped in bandages similar to his own. A sharp pain stabbed at his heart and that was a mistake he'd never be able to get away from.


" _Traitor Uchiha_!"

Sasuke ignored the woman who snarled his name at him like it was a curse word as he passed her on the street. He was used to it, which Naruto would be sympathetic about and Sakura would be angry. Not that he told either of them what he put up with when he was just going to the market to buy some groceries. He was sure they still knew though somehow. People weren't exactly subtle.

No one he'd call a friend or even an acquaintance was around to come to his defense. At least no one joined in this time. Not that he found glares thrown in his direction exactly welcoming. It was usually civilians though and that relieved him. Civilians didn't know the full story, just rumors and gossip whispered between old women in the streets. The truth about Uchiha Itachi still wasn't known publicly even though Naruto was trying to figure out a way to go about clearing his name without causing a panic or distrust among the public. People didn't know. They didn't know _him_.

Naruto would hate to hear him say it or even know he was thinking it, but Sasuke wasn't really upset about how he was treated. He knew he deserved most of it and if this was just another way for him to repent, he'd take it. He gave up on his reputation a long time ago, on the _Uchiha name_. But he still worked hard to prove that _Sasuke_ had changed, that he was _for_ Konoha. He'd served a sentence for a few years and had his chakra sealed for a few more, then went straight back on to active duty. He knew he'd made mistakes and that they wouldn't be forgotten, but they could be forgiven or at least understood.

Not to say that it didn't get to him at _all_. It left a bitter taste in his mouth and a churning in his gut. Maybe it was even worse because it wasn't just pain but also guilt.

He ignored them all, though. Didn't pay anyone any mind or dignify them with a response. It was hard but Sasuke had been used to wearing a blank face since he was a child. Sometimes it was easier and others not so much like today. He'd gotten back late from a mission and knew Naruto wouldn't have had time or even remember to restock their kitchen, so he'd stopped by the markets. He was tired and had a pain in his back that probably wouldn't go away for a few more days. But he knew from Sakura, _and what he would have guessed_ , that Naruto didn't eat much besides ramen when Sasuke wasn't home to cook or be cooked for. He was a great Hokage like most people had expected, but he was also a workaholic and Sasuke didn't think enough people realized that.

Naruto was usually sulky and moody when Sasuke returned late from missions. He never talked about it, but Sasuke was sure Naruto still had a fear that someday he just wouldn't come back. That was something Sasuke didn't know what else he could do to soothe that fear. But he wouldn't stop trying. He was living a second chance and wasn't expecting a third. He wouldn't mess this one up.

Sasuke tried to clear the woman from his mind, imagining Naruto's surprised face if he came home to find a homecooked meal. The ache in his heart eased a bit.

Sasuke walked over to the desk and thumped Naruto in the back of the head. "Come to bed, Dobe. You know how I feel when you bring work home with you."

Naruto leaned his head back to bump against Sasuke's stomach and smiled up at him tiredly. Sasuke tried to not find it endearing and failed. "Hey, I didn't know you'd be here when I came home."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that and dropped a hand to ruffle blond hair. "Well, I obviously am, and I don't mean _just_ when I'm here, you damn workaholic."

Naruto chuckled and got up from the desk, letting Sasuke lead him to their bedroom. They fell into bed together and Sasuke pulled Naruto against his chest once they were settled. Naruto immediately curled around him and Sasuke felt like he was finally relaxed. Blond hair tickled at his chin and he leaned his head against Naruto's.

Naruto mumbled into his neck, "You're a workaholic, too."

"Am not," Sasuke argued, realizing he sounded like a child too late.

Naruto sighed. "Then, why does it feel like you're never here?"

Sasuke felt a sharp pain to his chest, but he tried to ignore it. He chided the man in his arms, "Because you go in early and come home late. You're the one who's never here."

"There's a lot to do…" Naruto slurred and Sasuke could tell he'd be asleep soon.

He didn't say anything in reply and just listened to Naruto's breathing, letting it lull him to sleep along with the rise and fall of Naruto's chest. Naruto was probably on the verge of sleep when he told him in a quiet voice, "I'm always happier when you're home."

Sasuke felt his insides twist in a pleasant way and he smiled against Naruto's hair, whispering back, "Me too."

He made a mental note to try and take less missions where he could. Then, kissed it into Naruto's head like a promise before falling asleep himself.

 _It was always easier to fall asleep when Naruto was beside him._

"How could you not tell me you were attacked in the village?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed. _Well, it wasn't like he could avoid this._ He could hear the way Naruto's shoes walked across the grass towards him, the pressure telling him Naruto was frustrated. To avoid looking into his eyes, Sasuke kept his eyes closed and stayed laying on the hill. It'd been Shikamaru's advice to hide out here and the maybe Naruto would cool down before he found him. "I wasn't hurt. Not a lot to tell."

Naruto huffed above him. "Sasuke."

Sasuke felt a tightness in his chest at the tone and gave in. When he opened his eyes, they met angry blue ones glaring down at him. Naruto stood there clad in his Hokage robes, looking more intimidating and intense than the sun beating down on them. He looked away from him and focused on a blade of grass instead. "It was just a shuriken and could have been a child for all I know. I avoided it easily enough. I wasn't able to see who it was, but I'm pretty sure it was a leaf shinobi. I only reported it just to be on the safe side."

He could practically feel Naruto's anger fade replaced with a confusion and a tense air. "Why are you so sure it was someone from inside the village? Sasuke, it was probably –"

"It's happened before," Sasuke interrupted from a sigh. He'd avoided this conversation as much as he could over the years, but he should've known he couldn't forever.

" _What_?" _Ah, the anger was back._ "Why? Sasuke, I'm going to –"

"Not do anything besides make sure it wasn't an enemy nin," Sasuke cut him off again, finally looking back to him. Naruto's jaw was clenched and looked like he was about to start pacing with all his pent-up energy if the clenching of his fist was anything to go by.

Sasuke tried to give him a small smile, though he knew how little good it would do, and held out a hand to him. Naruto sighed and let Sasuke pull him down to the ground beside him, but that stubborn glint in his eyes didn't leave. Sasuke absentmindedly played with Naruto's fingers and looked back to the clouds while he waited for Naruto to decide on something to say.

His voice sounded strained when he finally spoke, "Sasuke, if someone, _especially_ someone from _Konoha_ is targeting you, I want to know about it."

"I don't know who it is, dobe," Sasuke replied, hoping the name would ease some of the tension in the conversation. It probably didn't help. "It's probably even more than one person and I don't think they're trying to _kill_ me, just…" He tried to think of a light way to say _mildly harm_ , but couldn't come up with anything and didn't think that description would ease Naruto's worries.

Naruto was quiet, but Sasuke wasn't naïve enough to think he wasn't going through a list of people in his head and ways to find out who they were. They didn't say anything for a while and then Sasuke eventually told him, "Don't…do anything about it. It would just make it worse."

Naruto's grip tightened in on his hand and he turned his face to look at him, but Sasuke kept his eyes resolutely on the sky. Sasuke sighed. "It probably makes them feel better."

"Sasuke! I don't give a –" Naruto started and leaned over him.

"I deserve it, anyway." _There, he said it, now it's out there._ The way Naruto's face fell from anger to sorrow made Sasuke's heart break, but he couldn't go back now. He sat up, making Naruto move away to give him room, though he stayed close.

"People are angry, Naruto. They're _always_ going to be angry. What they say about me, a lot of it is true. I _was_ a traitor. I deserve it. _This_. Whatever –"

"No, Sasuke –" Naruto tried to cut in in a soft voice, but Sasuke had to finish now that he had started.

"I left the village. I left _you_." Sasuke's voice fell an octave and there was that familiar twist of guilt and shame in his stomach. "I betrayed Konoha. I tried to kill Kakashi, Sakura…even you. I just –" Sasuke turned towards him and his eyes landed on the prosthetic arm wrapped in bandages similar to his own. A sharp pain stabbed at his heart and that was a mistake he'd never be able to get away from.

"Hey," Naruto called out gently to him and reached out a hand to hold Sasuke's face when he finally met his eyes. He was smiling, and it gave Sasuke such a bittersweet feeling. He leaned closer to him and Sasuke subconsciously brought a hand up to cover Naruto's. "I _forgive_ you for all of that. So, does everyone else you care about because _we_ care about _you_ and you've earned it, Sasuke. I don't care what anyone else has to say about it, even you. You _don't_ deserve to be treated badly by _anyone_."

Sasuke closed his eyes, not caring that a couple tears may have slipped away, and shook his head. "Naruto –"

Naruto interrupted him with a kiss and Sasuke was again bewildered by how _healing_ a kiss could feel. How Naruto could take his breath away at the same time it felt like he was breathing life into him.

When he broke the kiss, Naruto smiled at him and promised with his stubborn spark in his eyes, "I'm going to get you to forgive yourself someday."

Sasuke chuckled and told him, "I'd say you're wrong, but I know how you never give up on anything."

Naruto laughed and pulled him towards him for another kiss.

 _It was always easier to breathe with Naruto._

Sasuke could hear their arguing before he'd even reached the double doors.

"Naruto-sama, if you just let me take over some things –" Shikamaru was insisting in a frustrated and tired voice. The argument was one Sasuke had already heard a few times and that was just when he'd been around for it.

"No, I can't just let you do everything. I have to take responsibility. Shikamaru, I don't –" Naruto stopped when he spotted Sasuke leaning in the doorway and lost track of what he was saying after giving him a grin.

Sasuke smiled back feeling a warmth in his chest, noticing how Shikamaru was trying to casually take some papers from Naruto but the man caught on before he could snatch them away. Shikamaru sighed at the half-hearted glare Naruto shot him and looked to Sasuke annoyed like he expected Sasuke to talk some sense into Naruto.

"I thought I'd take you out for some ramen since you're supposed to be calling it a day by now." Sasuke's eyes returned back to the beautiful man behind the large desk. He bit back a laugh at the excited gleam in Naruto's expression and shrugged. "But if you'd rather stay and work…I know how you don't like Shikamaru to take over some of your duties."

Naruto's face twisted in indecision and it really shouldn't look that adorable on a grown man, but it did. He glanced at Shikamaru for a long moment before reluctantly handing him the paperwork. He briefly explained what progress he'd already made on it before Shikamaru shooed him out of the office with a grateful look thrown Sasuke's way.

If they were walking together, it was rare when Naruto wasn't touching him somehow with either an arm around his waist or their fingers interlocked. Though it had taken Sasuke a while at the beginning to get used to Naruto's open displays of affection, he found it really comforting now. The feel of Naruto beside him made him feel at home.

As they walked to Ichiraku's, people waved and greeted their Hokage. Naruto responded and gave them warm smiles like he always did. It eased a weight in Sasuke's chest to see Naruto so happy and exactly where he'd always wanted to be. The people loved him and even people beyond their village walls considered him their hero. Naruto was adored and appreciated. There were no more glares thrown his way or random attacks like he went through when he was a child. He'd finally realized his dream and it made Sasuke feel like he was a part of it.

No one yelled at him or threw sharp weapons at him when he was with Naruto. Even glares were dimmed down to scornful looks. Just by being in Naruto's accompany, he earned a little redemption in some people's eyes. He felt the difference when he had Naruto's weight against him. Eyes weren't as hateful and instead recalculating and curious. It gave him hope and if anything, at least Naruto didn't have to witness what Sasuke sometimes went through alone. It would just add to the list of things Naruto already worried about and Sasuke didn't want to do that to him.

The tension in his chest was a little less coiled. He was able to breathe better and felt more comfortable as he walked. Naruto's voice soothed his muscles and made him relax. The smiles thrown his way caused a bubbly feeling in his chest that was always the best part of his day. The hand in his anchored him and reassured him that this was _home_.

 _It was always easier with Naruto._


End file.
